Clothes-drier



(No Model.)

H.. F. GRAY.

l CLOTHES DRIER. No. 245,482. Patented Aug. 9,1881.

llNiTan STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. GRAY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.A

CLOTHES-Dalen.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 245,482, dated August 9, 1881,

Application filed May 19, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY F. GRAY, of Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Racks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in p which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rack with some of the arms extended. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same, and Fig. 3 is a detail view of the slotted inner end of one of the arms with its hook and spring.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the ligures.

My invention contemplates certain improvements in the construction of folding racks for towels, hats, or wearing-apparel, as hereinafter more fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the annexed drawings, A represents a shelf or bracket, having a back piece, B, which has an aperture, a., by means of which it may be suspended upon a nail in the wall or other suitable support. It also has a turned center piece, C, affixed to the back piece, B 5 but this does not extend all the way up to the under side of the-shelf, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The letter D represents a series of segmental sheet-metal plates, the right-angled edges of which are suitably secured in the center piece, C, and under side of shelf A, respectively. Each of these plates liasanotclnd, at its upper end just underneath the rim of the shelf.

E E are the arms, which correspond in number to the segmental plates D, and have each a saw-kerf or slot, b, at their inner ends, into which the platesD are inserted. The inner upper corner of each of these plates has a slot, c, and the inner slotted ends of the arms E are provided with hooks F, the inner ends of which are connected to rubber or wire springs G, suitably fastened in the back piece, B.

By reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be seen that the upper edges of the metal supportsand guide-plates D are secured to the shelf by turning a flange, c, along the edge, which is inserted into a corresponding cut or groove in the under side of the shelf, and forms an efficient means of fastening.

When it is desired to use the rack the arms are extended (one or more of them, as required) by raising the outer end of the arm up into a level position, the hook F at its inner end serving as a hinge, until the notch d in the guide-plate D is reached, when the tension of spring G draws the arm against the notch and causes it to interlock therewith by itsv pin g, which is inserted transversely through the kerf b, slipping into the notch. The slot c in the inner corner of each of the guide-plates D allows play to the hook-hinge F, which works in the slot, so as to give a free forward-andbackward motion of the arms in unlocking them from or lookin g them into their extended position. To fold the arms down they are simply pulled out until the pin g is disengaged from its notch d, when the arm will by its own gravity, aided by the tension of its spring G, fall down into its vertical position out of the way.

It is obvious that lthe rack, instead of being ofthe shape shown in the drawings, with radially-arranged arms, may be constructed with arms E and their guide-plates D arranged parallel to one another, or that (when used as a clothes-horse for drying clothes, for example) the top part, A, may be made in the shape of a complete circle, thus dispensing with the back piece, B, by making the center part, O, a complete cylinder, supported centrally at its lower end upon a post or upright of suitable height.

The modifications in the construction of my device which would be required in order to make-it of dillerent shapes will be readily understood without further explanation, and hence I do not limit myself to any particular shape or immaterial modification in the construction and arrangement of details.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- The combination, in n folding clothes-rack, In testimony that I claim the foregoing as of the shelf or top part, A, having back or my own I have hereunto affixed my signature ro support B and center piece, C, notched segin presence of two Witnesses. ments D, slotted at c, and arms E, slotted at 1 5 their inner ends, and provided with the hooks HENRY F GRAY' F and springs G, constructed and arranged to Witnesses: operate substantialiyin the manner and for the ORANGE FRAZER, purpose herein shown and set forth. ANDREW SPITTAL. 

